Toilet Clean Pouch

ABSTRACT

The invention is a directed to a long-handled rod that hangs on the top of the toilet water tank and extends down into the tank. The rod is retained in place within the toilet tank by a hook kept under tension by a latch. A resealable pouch is provided on the end of the rod which holds a toilet cleanser composition in tablet or liquid form securely in the tank. The resealable pouch is preferably composed of a water-permeable mesh material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.61/645,620 filed May 11, 2012.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to a bathroom implements and inparticular to detergent dispensers for toilet bowls. Many users oftoilet cleaning product wish to avoid having to handle the inside of thetoilet tank and bowl to apply cleaning and instead prefer to rely onpassive or automatic dispenser systems. Generally speaking, passive andautomatic cleansing devices are already known in the art. For example,U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,137,577; 4,209,863; 6,412,120; and 6,675,396 are allrelated to toilet cleansing devices.

More recently U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0194196 byKenneth J. Muderlak described an apparatus which is positioned in areservoir tank of a conventional tank toilet and which injects cleanerinto a toilet bowl operatively connected to said reservoir tank when thetoilet is flushed. The Muderlak apparatus includes a “T” connector, adiaphragm valve connected to a collapsible supply bag, an injection tubeconnected to said diaphragm valve, and running the length of said supplybag and exiting the supply bag at the top of the bag through a sealedexit. Under the teachings of the Muderlak application when the toilet isflushed, the “T” connector diverts water from a water inlet valvelocated within the reservoir tank and directs the water to the diaphragmvalve.

In addition to that, U.S. Patent Application Publication No.2005/0144709 by Hsu describes an improved lavatory cleanser dispensingdevice that is height-adjustable and capable of quantitativelydispensing cleanser. The device is composed of a fixing member and ashell. The fixing member described by Hsu includes a hanging portion ata top side thereof to be hung on a toilet water tank and a plurality oflocating portions formed at a bottom section thereof and in top-downarrangement. The Hsu shell includes at least one chamber inside, aplurality of inlets and outlets running therethrough to enable thechamber to communicate with outside, and at least one positioningportion detachably mounted on the locating portions of the fixingmembers.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0209621 by Alexander Q.Tilson describes flush valves for delivering a selected amount of waterfrom a toilet tank into a toilet bowl, particularly collapsible flushvalves having substantial durability and resistance to wear anddeleterious chemicals. The Tilson flush valves have a collapsible memberextending from above the surface of the water in the toilet tank to thetank outlet in the normal (closed flush valve) state. Collapsing theflush valve allows water to flow into the toilet bowl through the flushvalve until the toilet tank is drained to the level of the collapsedflush valve and buoyancy is restored. The flush valves disclosed byTilson may be made of a material that does not substantially deterioratein the presence of halogen-containing toilet disinfectants, and theouter surface (the water contacting surface) of the flush valves may bea single continuous piece.

Finally U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0203041 by Kolchehis directed to a toilet cleaning system, using a bifurcatedcommunicating pipe which provides cleansing material to a toilet bowl.The system provided by Kolcheh is a component of a water closet, whichis inexpensive to manufacture, and is capable of delivering a limitedamount of cleanser to the toilet, while preventing accidental flushingof the cleanser unit into the toilet bowl. The bifurcated communicatingpipe has an angled branch and allows a portion of the cleanser unitseated in the angled branch to project into the central channel of thecommunicating pipe for contacting the flush water, to provide cleansingaction. In the Kolcheck mechanism the flush water passing through thecommunicating pipe dissolves or disperses a certain amount of thecleanser and therefore provides cleansing of the flush water.

Despite all the efforts listed above prior art patents describesstructures that are either not truly convenient or easy to use or elseinvolve complicated, expensive, and overly difficult assembly and/ordisassembly parts and procedures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is a directed to a long-handled rod thathangs on the top of the toilet water tank and extends down into thetank. The rod is retained in place within the toilet tank by a hook keptunder tension by a latch. A resealable pouch is provided on the end ofthe rod which holds a toilet cleanser composition in tablet or liquidform securely in the tank. The resealable pouch is preferably composedof a water-permeable mesh material.

It is the main objective of the device disclosed in the presentinvention to find a solution to the problem which would be to provide amore efficient and convenient means to secure toilet bowl cleanser inone spot for continuous cleaning and easy disposal.

It is an additional objective to entice more people to become interestedin sanitation.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Theforegoing general description and the following detailed description areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitutea part of the specification. They illustrate one embodiment of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a first perspective top view of one of the preferredembodiments of the “Toilet Clean Pouch” in accordance with the teachingsof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a back perspective view of the “Toilet Clean Pouch” of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a right front perspective view of the “Toilet Clean Pouch” ofFIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As it can be seen from the drawings essential components of thedisclosed device include: an elongated rod 10, a sliding lock 14, a hook11, a pouch netting 12, and a tablet 13 or other form of cleansingcomposition. As an improvement to the commercially available toiletcleaning devices the present invention is designed to help people tokeep a clean toilet bowl while minimizing active cleaning work.

At the heart of the present invention is the resealable pouch 12 on theend of the rod 10 which holds toilet cleanser tablet 13 or solutionsecurely in the tank. This design prevents the tablet 13 or cartridge orother form that contains cleansing product from moving around in thetank and interfering with water flow.

The invention's several rigid components, specifically the hook 11, rod10, and sliding lock 14 are preferably made of a durable, lightweight,and inexpensive material such as dense rigid plastic. The pouch 10 ispreferably made of a flexible, water permeable material that is alsodurable and resistant to the growth of microorganisms, such as asynthetic fiber mesh.

As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of thepresent invention, the same should be apparent from the abovedescription. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the mannerof usage and operation will be provided.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to thoseillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one ofordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be thebest mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understandand appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, andequivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. Theinvention should, therefore, not be limited by the above describedembodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methodswithin the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A toilet cleanser dispensing device comprising: (a) avertical support; (b) said vertical support being affixed to the insidewall of a toilet reservoir; (c) said toilet reservoir containing aquantity of water that is continually replenished and flushed outthrough the normal use of an associated toilet; (d) an elongated memberhaving a first end and a second end; (e) said first end of saidelongated member removably hanging from said vertical support; and (f)said second end of said elongated member being fixedly attached to acontainer; (g) said container having at least one region made of awater-permeable material; and (h) said container having at least onereclosable opening; whereby a solid or liquid disinfecting, cleansing,or deodorizing composition may be periodically placed within saidcontainer for gradual application over time to said quantity of water.2. The toilet cleanser dispensing device of claim 1 wherein saidcontainer is primarily made of a rigid or semi-rigid material; has anapproximately oblong shape with a top face, bottom face, front face,back face, left face, and right face; has one face rotatably affixed toan adjacent face along one edge; and features a latch or clasp mechanismaffixed to the edge opposing the rotatable edge whereby said containermay be regularly opened and reclosed.
 3. The toilet cleanser dispensingdevice of claim 2 wherein said container has at least one face shaped soas to feature a substantial-sized water-permeable hole, said hole beingcovered by a water-permeable netting material.
 4. The toilet cleanserdispensing device of claim 1 wherein said vertical support is a hook,and said first end of said elongated member features a hole whereby saidelongated member may be engaged to said vertical support.
 5. The toiletcleanser dispensing device of claim 4 further comprising a cover member,said cover member being slidably affixed to said elongated member at apoint distal to the center in the direction of said first end of saidelongated member, whereby said cover member may be slid over said holeand said vertical support penetrating said whole thereby releasablylocking said elongated member to said vertical support.
 6. The toiletcleanser dispensing device of claim 1 wherein said elongated member ismade of a rigid or semi-rigid plastic material.
 7. The toilet cleanserdispensing device of claim 1 wherein: (a) said container is primarilymade of a rigid or semi-rigid material; has an approximately oblongshape with a top face, bottom face, front face, back face, left face,and right face; has one face rotatably affixed to an adjacent face alongone edge; and features a latch or clasp mechanism affixed to the edgeopposing the rotatable edge whereby said container may be regularlyopened and reclosed; (b) said container has at least one face shaped soas to feature a substantial-sized water-permeable hole, said hole beingcovered by a water-permeable netting material; (c) said vertical supportis a hook, and said first end of said elongated member features a holewhereby said elongated member may be engaged to said vertical support;(d) said toilet cleanser dispensing device further comprises a covermember, said cover member being slidably affixed to said elongatedmember at a point distal to the center in the direction of said firstend of said elongated member, whereby said cover member may be slid oversaid hole and said vertical support penetrating said whole therebyreleasably locking said elongated member to said vertical support; and(e) said elongated member is made of a rigid or semi-rigid plasticmaterial.